Page 135 of Eternal Surrender

“History, isn’t it intriguing?” Fabian directed the question to Ingrid. “Everything we do has a consequence.” He waved his hand through the air. “Better now?”

“Better,” she replied, though she was still clearly fazed.

The truth settled on her like a gentle dawn. She had done all she could to save her father. The weight she had carried so long, the buried guilt, the silent agony began to lift, unraveling from her chest. For the first time, she felt it, a fragile, luminous relief.

Fabian’s face crinkled into a smile.

“Why did you leave after I was transformed?” I asked the question that had been burning a hole in my heart.

“Jadeon knows why,” he said. “Look deep within you and all questions will have the answers you seek.”

I sat back, sure I’d never know.

Ingrid was staring at me, searching for any evidence that I was indeed the Jadeon she’d once known, desperately trying to grasp an impossible concept.

“Jadeon was to become the next Stone Master,” Fabian continued. “Before Orpheus turned him.”

“That was a long time ago.” I glanced at Ingrid, uncomfortable discussing this in front of her, and not even sure she was up to it.

Ingrid leaned forward, intrigued.

“Jadeon never did study our origins,” Fabian said. “All those books of your father’s and you never read them.”

Fabian’s words reached some part of me that had seemingly lain dormant.

“Boudicca was the first Stone Master,” Fabian said. “The first Stone Master was not only a woman but also a vampire.”

“Boudicca was a vampire?” Ingrid asked, “But I thought the Stone Masters were vampire hunters?”

“Vampires were once ruled by a joint alliance of immortals and mortals,” he said.

“This is documented?” I now knew why Fabian wanted to meet us here.

“Boudicca’s husband Prasutagus was mortal,” he said. “Together, they ruled the underworld.”

“An allegiance between vampires and mortals?” I tried to fathom it.

“Until Boudicca led an uprising against the Roman Empire,” Fabian explained. “She died in battle. Her husband inherited the title. After that only men became Stone Masters.”

I sat back, astonished.

“Much has changed.” Fabian waved a finger. “Within the last fifty years, the Stone Masters have struggled to control Sovereign.”

“Who are Sovereign exactly?” I stood, too restless to remain seated.

“Guardians,” he said, “of Dominion.” He held my gaze. “They guarded the one destined to become the grand ruler of the Stone Masters.”

I was amazed I’d never heard of this until now.

Fabian made a gesture that he understood my reticence, but nevertheless turned to Ingrid. “That secret society you paid a visit to in London is Sovereign. They were once members of Stone Masters. Sovereign’s new directive is to wipe out every last vampire.”

“How?” Ingrid asked.

“They’re poisoning them,” I told her. “Rendering them confused.”

Ingrid looked horrified.

“Vampires wander into daylight,” I said, gravely.